Explosive Diarrhea

Diarrhea can be described as the movement of bowels in a loose and watery condition. It occurs when the food and water you ingest passes through your colon either too fast or in large quantity leaving little time for the intestines to digest and absorb the food. When the liquids from the food are not absorbed, your body mechanism pushes out the watery portion through bowel movement.

Symptoms

Explosive diarrhea is a difficult condition caused by many factors. It is termed explosive because the person suffering from the disorder passes stool in watery form much faster and forceful than in the normal cases of diarrhea.

In case of explosive diarrhea, the patient feels the sudden flow of liquid shooting out of the stomach. It can start with stomach gurgling or unusual sounds inside the stomach accompanied by stomach pain and cramping. The stool can be dark brown or light yellow in color with foul odor. The patient may also vomit and suffer from weakness and fatigue. It can become chronic and even accompany fever. Rather than a disease by itself, it can be the sign of serious colon disorders like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, or severe case of stomach flu, an early sign of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Celiac disease or allergy.

Diarrhea as such causes dehydration. Therefore, the first thing you should do in a bout of explosive diarrhea is to drink enough water to make good of the loss of body fluids. This will prevent dehydration. Loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, nausea, bloating and burping are also symptoms explosive diarrhea. You should immediately seek medical help if the diarrhea accompanied with these symptoms lasts for several days or recurs.

Causes

Many times a bout of explosive diarrhea occurs after food. Intolerance to foods like artificial sweeteners or lactose is a well-known cause. During the processing or production stages of food it can get contaminated by infectious organisms. It can also occur at your home due to incorrect handling of food, inadequate cooking or storage.

Antibiotics, allergies to certain medications, cancer drugs, and antacids containing magnesium are also known to cause sudden bouts of diarrhea. Diseased conditions of intestines, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, laxative abuse, alcohol abuse are also among the known causes.

Like any other cells in the body, the cells of digestive organs are also negatively affected by the pulls and pushes of stress and anxiety levels. This results in a bout of diarrhea or constipation.

Prevention

The best way to prevent diarrhea is to keep away from the known causes. Always be watchful about what you eat and drink. Washing your hands regularly and washing the work surfaces frequently restrict the spread of germs and virus causing diarrhea. Children should be taught to eat only after washing their hands. Ensure that you serve the food immediately after cooking. Thaw the frozen items either in the refrigerator itself or thaw the plastic wrapped food item in cold water. Use antibiotics only after consulting your doctor.